The second season, however, really rubs me the wrong way. Everyone feels grossly out of character, and the world feels relentlessly mean-spirited. The first season was, generally, pretty optimistic. People were generally pretty nice, villains tended to come around in the end, and it was a fairly happy show for the most part. Season 2, on the other hand, is just cruel. The world feels so much more bleak and cruel for no particular reason. Reigen especially seems to have had his character butchered. In the first season, Reigen was a conman, but he was generally well intentioned. He conned people to make them feel better. He was a bit too blunt and could be a tad rude and dismissive, but he was never mean. In season two, however, he's become easily the most unlikable character. He's gone from a moral compass to a bully with no real reason.
I also feel like the music and art, while still phenomenal as usual, is a step down from the first season. I don't feel myself being floored by it like I was the first time around. Of course, by the standards of anime in general, it is still exceptional, but by Mob Psycho standards, it's not much.
It is still possible for the show to recover, but halfway through the season, and I'm not optimistic.
